Coaching Tips
The Four Pillars
Every great tip comes back to these.
Whichever tip you're working on today, verify each pillar before adding pace or spin.
01
Grip
Continental grip is the foundation across serves, volleys and slice.
02
Footwork
Split steps and adjustment steps put you in the right place, on time.
03
Rotation
Power comes from shoulders and core — not the arm swing.
04
Contact
Meet the ball out front, at waist height, with a firm wrist.
The Tips
Four techniques. A lifetime of practice.
The Serve
01
The one shot you fully control. Own it.
━ Use continental grip to naturally position the racket face open. Your stance should be such that weight is predominantly on the back foot as you prepare to uncoil.
━ Serves are very important as they start each point and contribute the most in determining each game's outcome.
━ Tossing the ball determines the quality of the serve, so focus a lot on practicing those tosses. If a toss is not perfect, do not go forward with the serve.
━ Let the racket drop into a loop behind your back and, as you push up with your legs, rotate your shoulders and strike the ball at the highest comfortable position.
The Volley
02
Shorten time. Cut the angle. Finish the point.
━ The main purpose of the volley is to shorten your opponent's reaction time, cut off sharp angles and quickly finish points.
━ Always use a continental grip so that you can quickly hit both forehand and backhand volleys without constantly changing grips.
━ Use a short motion without taking a full swing and keep the wrist angle strong and firm upon ball impact.
━ Split steps are important — step forward into the ball with your outside foot (left foot for a forehand, right foot for a backhand) to transfer body weight into the shot for extra power.
The Forehand
03
Rotation is power. Contact is precision.
━ This is the ground stroke hit on the dominant side of the body. Always keep in mind the following key elements:
━ As the ball approaches, rotate your shoulders and core — not just arms.
━ Small adjustment steps will ensure your best positioning for the shot.
━ To generate top spin, drop the racket into a C-shape below the ball's height.
━ Hit the ball in front of your body around waist height, maintaining a firm wrist. Finish your swing with a natural upward motion ending with the racket wrapped over or around the opposite shoulder.
The Warm-Up
04
Prepared muscles. Sharper first game.
━ A proper tennis warm-up prevents injury and ensures you don't waste the first few games of a match finding your rhythm.
━ Spend at least 10 to 15 minutes before every practice or tennis match, both on and off the court, to actively prepare your muscles for explosive lunges and swings.
━ Focus on all parts of the body, including legs and arms, as well as midsection.
Ready to train?
Take these tips onto the court with a coach.
Book a session at Future Stars Tennis Academy and get personalized feedback on your grip, swing and footwork.